Aquarian Software, Inc.

A BETTER WAY TO MODEL AND DESIGN STORMWATER SYSTEMS

CHAN for Windows (Version 2.03) is a program to generate runoff hydrographs for basins and to perform hydrodynamic routings of that runoff through a surface water system comprised of lakes, ponds, channels, and drainage structures.  The following discusses many of the system's features.  You can also review frquently asked quaestions by clicking this link.

It's so easy!
CHAN is watershed modeling made easy and pond design made fun. With a new graphical user interface that's designed specifically for Microsoft Windows, both novice modelers and experts alike will enjoy constructing and analyzing a wide range of drainage problems. Conveyance systems, which are defined by a network of basin, node and reach elements, can be constructed quickly using a fully interactive editor. Simply point and click to add components of your drainage system to a schematic drawing. You can even generate the model network automatically through the use of the editor's import facilities and export your network layout as a Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) file.

Hydrology
CHAN features all of the most popular methods for generating runoff hydrographs, including the SCS Unit Hydrograph, Santa Barbara Urban Hydrograph, and Kinematic methods. Seasoned experts will appreciate the flexibility provided by user-defined unit hydrograph methods as well as the inclusion of Snyder's Unit Hydrograph. You select the runoff method that best fits each basin in your model network.

Hydrodynamics
When it comes to hydrodynamic modeling, CHAN is a real dream to work with. New, advanced algorithms provide for stable simulation, while true 32-bit performance speeds you through your work. Unsteady open channels and open water can now be simulated with unparalleled ease... You can rest assured that dry channel beds and bothersome flow oscillations will not haunt you with CHAN.

Structure Hydraulics
There is no more powerful tool available for the simulation of structure hydraulics. Any number of culverts, weirs, gates, orifices, pumps, bridges and junction channels can be combined in parallel within a single reach. Any number of weirs gates and orifices can be placed at the end of any culvert, bridge or junction channel. No matter how complex the structure, you can model it, easily, with CHAN.

Document your Model
CHAN provides you with the capability to fully document your model along the way. Comments can be inserted for each basin, node and reach element, to describe your assumptions and to document the sources of data that were used in constructing the modeled system.

Visualize your System
No other hydrology or hydraulics program provides you with visual feedback like CHAN. Storage and area relation plots are displayed for every node. Land use and soil area relations are displayed for every basin. You can view cross sections graphically as you build them, and overlay any number of other cross sections for comparison. You can even link scanned images to your model elements and those images will be quickly displayed within the editor while you work, along with all of your own comments and descriptions.

Tools to Get the Job Done... Fast!
One of your greatest challenges used to be in developing the data to describe basin characteristics. Not any more! The CHAN Editor provides a host of tools to make development of your model fast and easy. First, a travel time computer is built right in. You can define times of concentration on the fly. You can also define a weighted Curve Number and Imperviousness for each basin, automatically. If you happen to change your mind about any hydrologic parameter, you can globally replace the assigned value for any selected set of basins. In short, all of the time consuming tasks of model construction have been reduced dramatically, leaving you free to think about the design and performance of your stormwater system.

...and More Tools to Make the Job Easy!
An integrated cross section editor is also provided for fast and easy data entry. You can add piers, abutments and low chord to define a bridge; and flip, slide or skew any section. You can even import and export section data from external files. With CHAN, cross sections are stand-alone elements of your network. So, you can define a rectangular, v-shaped, parabolic or irregular cross section one time, and then reference that section, by name, over and over again.

Error Checking
The CHAN Editor provides extensive error checking capability. Your network files are scanned, automatically, for any topological mistakes, missing data, and improper data values. A summary of network errors is written to a file and displayed on screen. All network elements that contain errors are then identified on-screen, and specific data fields that contain those mistakes are highlighted on data entry forms. CHAN is designed to save you time, and to spare you the frustration of model construction.

Help!
CHAN is equipped with a comprehensive online help system, which places all of the information you need within a keystroke. Modeling concepts and computational methods are fully described, along with discussions of the CHAN file structure, instructions on model construction and a step-by-step guide to procedures. Tips are even provided to help you along your way.

Simulation
Simulation begins effortlessly, with just the drag and drop of an icon. Basin hydrology is done in a flash. Summary and statistical information is right at hand to evaluate your hydrologic results immediately. Point and click. During the hydrodynamic simulation, you can change the monitor and database output intervals, the list of elements that are displayed on screen, and even the computational time increment. You can pause the simulation at any time to retrieve partial results, then continue without even missing a beat. You can re-start a run from scratch, from the last computed time, or from any time between. You can monitor more system variables (stage, flow, velocity, depth, freeboard, and more) during simulation than with any other model available, at any point in your system.

Retrieval
Drag and drop your icon again to retrieve and display the results of your hydrologic and hydrodynamic simulation. View time series data and graphs of runoff, inflows, stage, discharge and velocity at any point in the system. View basin summaries and the maximum stages, flood depths, discharges and velocities that occurred throughout the system. Retrieve snapshots for any point in time of stage, discharge and velocity and plot profiles of flood conditions along any selected set of reaches. You can export any of the retrieved data to ascii text files, or send a formatted report to your printer. You can export graphs as CHAN graph files, then import those graph files to be overlaid or tiled for comparison with other simulation results. You can even export your graphs as Windows Metafile (WMF) format files for insertion into your other word processing documents.

Reports
CHAN allows you to automatically generate preformatted reports of all your model input and output data. You have control over the fonts, page layout, and numbering. Print a cover page and a topic summary for each report, using built-in report writer templates.

All reports and graphics can be formatted and output to any printer that is supported by Microsoft Windows, in black and white or color. Requires Microsoft Windows 95 or higher (please specify) and minimum 8 MB RAM.

Finally, state of the art hydrodynamic modeling of surface water systems
has been made friendly, fast, affordable!